Chill Spots in New Orleans | Perfect for Unwinding 🛋️

I spent a week in New Orleans for a wedding, and slowly found the city’s rhythm and my favorite “soul spots.” Here’s what I recommend! ⬇️ ☕️ Forth Wall Anyone who’s been to the U.S. knows good Italian-style coffee is hard to find—but you’ll find it here! Just look at their latte art—smooth and well-executed. Their pastries are all delicious too, but don’t miss their hot sauce! It’s super spicy, and I was lucky enough to grab the last bottle to take home. Sitting outside with a coffee, soaking up the sun—total bliss. French Quarter The famous French Quarter is perfect for daytime strolls. There are bookstores, free exhibitions everywhere, and you can pop into any café/bar for a local beer. That said, I don’t recommend eating here—way too easy to hit a bad spot. Magazine Street This street is so fun! It’s packed with vintage clothing stores, old furniture shops, and boutiques selling quirky trinkets and vinyl records—all with great taste. There are also tons of free exhibitions to check out. 🍴 Pêche (French for “fish”) Must talk about this restaurant! ❗️It was the best meal of my trip. They serve the freshest fish, roasted whole and paired with South American parsley sauce. Every side dish and small plate is delicious too. It’s on the pricier side, but way more worth it than most French Quarter restaurants—great value for the quality. City Park Filled with art installations, cute animals, and lush plants—ideal for a post-dinner walk. You’ll spot all kinds of lovely flora and fauna here 🐿️🌸. Bayou Road New Orleans’ oldest street. Visit Le Musee de fpc (a residential museum)—you need to book in advance—to learn about the history of free people of color and dive deep into NOLA’s cultural roots. After the museum, grab a coffee at the nearby café, or try the jerk chicken rice platter at the Jamaican restaurant across the street—it’s amazing! Gretna (Small Town) Rent an e-bike 🚲, head to the dock, and take a 5-minute ferry across the Mississippi River—you’ll land in another city! Ride along a long, quiet path, and you’ll smell fresh baking: that’s Cherry Coffee, a coffee bean factory. Stop for a rich espresso, then if you’re lucky (like me) and a heavy rain hits, duck into Cafe Zen—a hidden authentic Japanese restaurant. Warm up with a cup of hot sake 🍶—pure coziness. Lafayette Square Grab the whole family, your dog 🐶, a picnic blanket, and some chairs—spending a picnic on the lawn is classic American life. We got super lucky: we stumbled into a Wednesday night music festival and heard amazing local bands. Pro Tip: Use the app/website Resy to book great restaurants—it helps you avoid bad spots, and it works all across the U.S.! P.S.: The crawfish 🦞 here isn’t as good as most Chinese preparations, but raw oysters 🦪? You have to try them! #NewOrleans #SlowLifeGuide #AmericanLifestyle